UTRGV has previously won three consecutive national championships in 2018, 2019 and 2021, with no competition held in 2020 due to COVID-19. (Courtesy Photo)
University to host sendoff celebration on April 3
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Student Life, Community, Academics
By News and Internal Communications
RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – APRIL 1, 2025 – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Chess Team is set to compete in the upcoming President’s Cup, seeking their fourth national title.
The President's Cup tournament showcases the top four collegiate teams vying for the title of national collegiate chess champion. UTRGV has previously won three consecutive national championships in 2018, 2019 and 2021, with no competition held in 2020 due to COVID-19.
This year's championship will be held in Richardson, Texas, April 4-6, at the University of Texas at Dallas, where UTRGV will face formidable opponents, including UT Dallas, Saint Louis University and Webster University.
Colt Smith-Munoz, the chess program manager, said that as the team prepares to compete in the President's Cup once again, they exemplify the determination, resilience and Vaquero spirit that define UTRGV.
“These dedicated chess champions have spent countless hours refining their strategies and are ready to take on the nation’s best,” said Smith-Munoz. “We are proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing them represent the Rio Grande Valley on the national stage.”
Coached by Bartek Macieja, a chess grandmaster, the UTRGV team competing at the President’s Cup includes:
- Gleb Dudin (Grandmaster) - Sophomore, Psychology Major
- Jose Gabriel Cardoso Cardoso (Grandmaster) - Freshman, Business Administration Major
- Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux (Grandmaster) - Junior, Biomedical Sciences Major
- Ekin Baris Ozenir (International Master) - Junior, Computer Engineering Major
- Jakob Fus (International Master) - Junior, Psychology Major
SENDOFF CELEBRATION
A couple of sendoff events are planned for Thursday, April 3, including:
- UTRGV Brownsville Campus, Student Union - La Sala, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- UTRGV Edinburg Campus, Student Union, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Macieja and the team will attend the celebration at the Brownsville campus.
For more information on the UTRGV Chess Program, visit www.utrgv.edu/chess.
ABOUT UTRGV
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas. This transformative initiative provided the opportunity to expand educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, including a new School of Medicine, and made it possible for residents of the region to benefit from the Permanent University Fund – a public endowment contributing support to the University of Texas System and other institutions.
UTRGV has campuses and off-campus research and teaching sites throughout the Rio Grande Valley including in Boca Chica Beach, Brownsville (formerly The University of Texas at Brownsville campus), Edinburg (formerly The University of Texas-Pan American campus), Harlingen, McAllen, Port Isabel, Rio Grande City, and South Padre Island. UTRGV, a comprehensive academic institution, enrolled its first class in the fall of 2015, and the School of Medicine welcomed its first class in the summer of 2016.